Spied: Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Bentley GTC, & Chrysler Sebring
Sunshine Superstars: Three convertibles you'll soon see in all the right places
/ By Editors of Motor Trend
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Article provided by: Motor Trend Magazine
Aston Martin V8 Vantage
While Bentley has always hinted at a convertible for its new-age car, to the point of confirming the rumors, Aston has been more circumspect about the Vantage. But per these spy photos by our shooter who's so deep underground he's anonymous, it's on. Expected as a model-year 2007 car, the Porsche 911 Cabrio-fighter would make most sense to unveil at Paris, L.A., or Detroit and launch in the States by spring of next year. Like its coupe sibling, the convertible gets the Jaguar AJ-V8-derived 380-horsepower, 4.3-liter, twin-cam 32-valve V-8 and an aluminum/composite body.
Bentley GTC
Bentley confirmed the obvious with the unveiling of its Continental GT convertible at the New York auto show. Chop the top off of the alluring 552-horsepower Continental GT, add an electrohydraulic-operated seven-bow, three-layer top, and you have an instant success for South Beach or Beverly Hills. The GTC has the GT and Flying Spur's 6.0-liter twin-turbo W-12 mated to a six-speed automatic with manumatic paddle controls driving all four wheels, with a four-setting air suspension. Bentley's second ragtop, after the Arnage-based Azure, goes on sale this fall.
Chrysler Sebring
Aston. Bentley. Chrysler? Don't laugh: As one of the few affordable four-seat ragtops, Chrysler's current Sebring convertible is a staple in holiday rental fleets from Waikiki to Key West. The new convertible will launch six to eight months after the new Sebring sedan's fall debut (when we'll learn whether the name is carried over to the new car), making it a 2008 model. While spy shots reveal the sedan to be a bland-looking car befitting the segment, with a Saturn Ion-esque roofline, the ragtop version appears a bit more radical, with an edgy, wedgy shape. Like the sedan, it rides on the Mitsubishi-derived GS platform.